1. Filed of Invention
This invention relates to an integrated sound, physioacoustic, and colored light apparatus; particularly to a portable, user-controlled unified system device.
2. Prior Art
Sound directs matter and thus anything that exists in the current physical reality can be directly and profoundly influenced by sound. The human DNA functions within a specific pattern of frequencies and these frequencies direct all of the physical body's processes and thus the type and range of perception that can be physically experienced. This is of paramount importance to maintaining a healthy human body. If one can direct human perception and experience through sound manipulation, it can heal physically as well as emotionally. Therefore, the manipulation of sound frequencies of a specific nature and manner can create resonances, implications, and other direct triggers to the human physical system which will manifest in the form of physical (and non-physical) experiences.
For centuries, mechanical toning apparatus has been used to achieve a stable toned sound towards this end. Tibetan monks have used large resonant “singing” bowls as part of their meditative practice, creating simple yet profoundly powerful harmonic structures as part of their daily meditations and as a pathway to spiritual enlightenment and superior health. Australian Aboriginal peoples have used a wind device known as a didgeridoo as part of their spiritual and healing practice since before recorded history. Unfortunately, mechanical toning devices such as these must be continually stimulated in some participatory way to generate sound.
In recent history, the only devices capable of generating stable, continual, and listenable physically supportive sounds were musical instruments such as synthesizers. However, they too must be manipulated to a high degree in order to create their sound, and most of them do not have the capability to project the developed sound without an external means of amplification.
In addition, there is a performance aspect to a musical instrument such as a synthesizer, which many non-musicians find highly intimidating. A set of piano keys placed in front of a person produces a degree of expectation of being able to competently operate the musical appliance with an intention to produce sound in the form of music and to entertain.
Further, the other functional aspect of sound utilized as a sensory modulation technique other than the audible component is the vibrational or physical component. This component is primarily effective to the human body as a vibrational modality only at the lower end of the frequency spectrum, typically at or below 150 Hz. The practice of implementing sound expressly as a vibrational stimulation technique is a newly developed science known as “physioacoustics”.
Physioacoustics is a scientific method of applying low frequency stimulation to the human body in such a way as to obtain desired emotional or physical effects. Physioacoustics may be thought of as the science that takes the active ingredients out of music, concentrates them, and infuses them in pure form to motivate or heal.
The delivery system must be considered when imparting the created sound for it to be experienced by the listener, or in the case as a sensory modulation technique in physioacoustic therapy. Several types of delivery systems have been proposed—for example, a chair, as disclosed in U.S. patent US200100260.87A1 to Tomita (2001) or a bed apparatus as disclosed in European Patent EP0417388A2 to Komatsu (1991) have been used with a similarly associated objective. However, these technologies are only intended to reproduce pre-recorded sound and do not incorporate the capability for the user to generate and develop the sound. Another disadvantage of these technologies is that the apparatus is large and unwieldy, so that the placement of the apparatus is essentially a permanent installation.
An addressed portable application was proposed, for example in U.S. patent US20050015027A1 by Kojima (2005) describing a vibrating cushion. Although portable, this is another example of a recorded sound reproduction apparatus, affording the user no real-time continuous control over the content of the source information. The property of incorporating colored light therapy is not addressed by this invention.
The use of ambient colored light may be incorporated into the use of sound as a sensory modifying and healing modality. The practice of applying colored light therapy (Phototherapy), is known to have come into being over one hundred years ago, beginning with Swedish physician Dr. Niels Finsen's work in 1893 for the treatment of smallpox utilizing red light. Ongoing research in the application of other colors of visible light continue to be used in the treatment of painful joints, skin burns, headaches, fevers, and emotionally-based problems.
A delivery system has been proposed—for example, WO01/45780A1 to Fenyo (2001) discloses a whole room process and apparatus whereas a colored light apparatus is provided as an associated healing modality together with a sound reproduction apparatus. However, there is no mechanism for reactively associating the sound information with the selected light colour or intensity. This feature is desirable, as the synchronization of the two sensory modalities has a valuable effect towards achieving a synchronic “whole-system” effect conducive to human physiology. Along with that aspect, the apparatus described also shares the disadvantage of being a permanent installation and inherently expensive.